1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of mechanized and automatically managed installations for storing objects, such as cars.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art teaches mechanized and automated parking arrangements in which unoccupied vehicles are transported from an entrance area to a storage cell and then, on request, the vehicles are transported to an exit area. Examples are described in the following French Patents: 2,608,663, 2,509,697, 2,607,175, 2,601,989, 2,256,891 and 2,375,411.
French Patent 1,566,540 is of interest in that it describes a parking installation having a number of fixed parking spots where vehicles are parked by their drivers. These parking spots are arranged in one or two rows along a traffic runway. Rotating parking platforms are placed in front of these parking spots. The installation allows rotation of the parking platforms to free the fixed parking spots when necessary.
French Patent 2,375,411 teaches a mechanized storage installation in which the axis of a vertical elevator shaft is perpendicular to the axis of horizontal traffic runways for trains of storage trolleys. The elevator comprises at least one guiding structure located outside of the horizontal traffic runways and a mobile set in pendulous motion along this vertical structure. The mobile set carries at least one retractable rack that is in an active position inside the traffic runways, and is in an inactive position outside the traffic runways. The rack is connected to the mobile set through a single line which transverses the horizontal traffic runways through passages in the traffic runways during active vertical motions of the rack.
Swiss Patent CH-505.969 teaches automatic parking for vehicles comprising a plurality of rectangular parking cells, and at least one mobile trolley for transporting the vehicles. Each cell is equipped along its longer sides with two series of bars for the support of vehicles wheels. These bars are placed at regular intervals and are smaller than the diameter of the vehicle wheels. Each series of bars makes up a comb whose teeth face the inside of the cell. The mobile trolley is equipped with two series of transport bars along its longitudinal axis placed at regular intervals equal to those of the support bars. Each series of transport bars comprise a comb whose teeth face the outside of the trolley. The mobile trolley is able to enter each cell, then move down so that the transport bars go through the support bars, and the wheels of the transported vehicle are laid on the support bars. Automatic parking is characterized in that the two series of support bars of each cell, as well as the two series of transport bars of the mobile trolley, are shifted by half an interval step.
In French Patent 2,607,175, a mechanized, fully-automated, parking facility is equipped with a system for lifting and transporting vehicles between an entrance area and an exit area of the parking facility having storage cells. A lifting and transporting system comprises a platform equipped with a support rack having a central structure, two series of horizontal support bars placed at intervals intermixed with support bars placed on the other side of the platform. Each storage cell comprises a fixed support rack which also features two series of fixed horizontal support bars protruding toward each other. The fixed bars of one of the two series are intermixed with the fixed bars of the other series, so as to allow the mobile rack to be in the same plane as the fixed rack, with the fixed and mobile bars in intermixed positions.
Great Britain Patent 1,043,371 describes storage cells perpendicular to the motion space of a transport elevator.
French Patent 2,509,697 describes a transport system for the parking of vehicles having two main identical close-shaped runways in approximately parallel planes. Two main synchronous belts extend along the two main runways. Two other similar close-shaped runways are provided in approximately parallel planes called "satellites", one of the two being contiguous to the main runways, but in between them according to their position. A plurality of spaced horizontal platforms are fixed to the main belts in between the main runways and near one of their extremities. Near the other extremity, the platforms are fixed to the satellites, inside and in between the satellite runways, the main and satellite runways longitudinally shifted having each a longitudinal section and transverse parts of change in direction in their respective shapes, such as they form first an acute angle, then the opposite acute angle with respect of the longitudinal sections, with vertical circulating in the area of change of direction for the platform circulating with the main belts, and auxiliary conveying belts adjacent the acute angle in the areas of change of direction of the satellite runways to engage a chain of the platforms when they enter that area, the length of the auxiliary belts always being sufficient to be in contact with at least two platforms so as to ensure horizontal stability when they circulate in an area of vertical motion.
None of the above parking systems presents the following advantages that are required from such systems: Unlimited capacity, very high ration volume/number of parking spots, very short cycles, and little on-site power.